Often with weight loss our thoughts go straight to food and exercise but focussing on appetite control may be more helpful. You could start with the following…
Breakfast is exactly that – it will break the overnight fast, pick your blood sugars up and give you improved energy and appetite control over the day. Breakfast will assist not only with levels of hunger in the morning, but also in the late afternoon- The physical action of chewing gives longer lasting appetite control, so take care with drinking your kilojoules – there are plenty of juices and smoothies that are promoted as healthy but not helpful for weight loss
- Including generous greens at your meals is also great for the chewing factor – low in fat and plenty of cellulose
- Keeping well hydrated is important – a thirsty person presents as a hungry person! Water is the best fluid for hydration and even if you don’t feel thirsty you will need typically 1 – 1.5 litres of water/day
- Keeping alcohol low is helpful as it has the effect of dropping our blood sugars, which can stimulate your appetite for the next 24 – 36 hours. Yes alcohol is a strong appetite stimulant!
- Including a serve of protein at each meal will give improved appetite control. Protein is the most satiating food you can eat, however it is usually the highest kilojoule food on the plate so take care with the portion and balance at the meal
- Exercise for more than 35 minutes may just stimulate an appetite – so the recommendation is short and brisk